intestine

plural intestines

1. often pluralizedanatomyThe alimentary canal of an animal through which food passes after having passed all stomachs.
2. One of certain subdivisions of this part of the alimentary canal, such as the small or large intestine in human beings.

1. not comparableobsoleteDomestic; taking place within a given country or region.

   Hoping here to end / Intestine war in heaven, the arch foe subdued.

   1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

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   It being true that now after fiue yeeres intestine warre with the reuengefull implacable Indians, a firme peace (not againe easily to be broken) hath bin lately concluded[…].

   1615, Ralph Hamor, A True Discourse of the Present State of Virginia, Richmond, published 1957, page 2

   [W]riters ſhould ceaſe from inteſtine hoſtilities; and, inſtead of ſacrificing each other to malice and contempt, endeavour to avert perſecution from the meaneſt of their fraternity.

   1751 August 16 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. 145. Monday, August 6. 1751.”, in The Rambler, volume VI, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair, […], published 1751, →OCLC, page 109

   Yet the success of Trajan, however transient, was rapid and specious. The degenerate Parthians, broken by intestine discord, fled before his arms.

   1776–1788, Edward Gibbon, chapter 1, in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC

   […] surrounded by an enemy rendered desperate from the calamities of intestine war.

   c. 1800, “Biographical Memoir of Rear-Admiral John Willett Payne”, in The Naval Chronicle, volume 3

   The subdivisions of the tribe have elders over them, to whose authority they frequently pay much more deference than to that of their Chan: they are appointed by popular election, and where distinguished by birth or affluence are called beys, elders, tarchans, or batuers; but if their conduct be such as to displease their constituents, they are deposed, and their office transferred to some other party—the natural consequence of these changes is intestine confusion and anarchy, and open defiance of the authority of the Chan and his council.

   1840 August, “Asia”, in The United Service Magazine, volume 33, number 141, page 537

2. not comparableobsoleteInternal.

   a perpetual intestine struggle[…]between authority and liberty

   a. 1776, David Hume, Of the Origin of Government

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   If you wish this state to be immortal, if you wish your empire to be eternal, if you with your glory to continue everlasting, then it is our own passions, it is the turbulence and desire of revolution engendered among our own citizens, it is intestine evil, it is domestic plots that must be guarded against.

   2016, Benjamin Straumann, Crisis and Constitutionalism

3. not comparableobsoleterareDepending upon the internal constitution of a body or entity; subjective.

   Every thing labours under an intestine necessity.

   1678, R[alph] Cudworth, The True Intellectual System of the Universe: The First Part; wherein All the Reason and Philosophy of Atheism is Confuted; and Its Impossibility Demonstrated, London: […] Richard Royston, […], →OCLC

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   When you have alleaged all the reasons you can, and beleeved all to disavow and reject her, she produceth, contrarie to your discourses, so intestine inclination, that you have small hold against her.

   1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 41, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC

   There dwells in the hearts of all who are deeply sunk in hypocrisy, an intestine hatred against all who are truly spiritual;

   1869, Emanuel Swedenborg, The True Christian Religion, page 498

4. not comparableobsoleterareShut up; enclosed.

   (see title)

   1988, Jackie DiSalvo, “Intestine Thorn: Samson's Struggle with the Woman Within”, in Julia M. Walker, editor, Milton and the Idea of Woman, page 211

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   No thunders shook with deep intestine sound The blooming groves that girdled her around.

   1782, William Cowper, “Heroism”, in Poems by William Cowper, of the Inner Temple, Esq.

   Where now the vital energy that moved, While summer was, the pure and subtle lymph Through the imperceptible meandering veins Of leaf and flower? It sleeps; and the icy touch Of unprolific winter has impress'd A cold stagnation on the intestine tide.

   1782–1785, William Cowper, “(please specify the page)”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC

   Lambarde's metaphor seems to be slipping here, as he admits that the worst enemies are 'intestine', within the walls, so to speak, or even within the 'body' of the nation.

   2012, Rebecca Brackmann, The Elizabethan Invention of Anglo-Saxon England, page 212